Vetiver

[ipb]

ew ew ew ew ew.

 

i couldn't force myself to smell it more deeply to give a description. just, yuck.

 

and it's really, really strong, and in a bad way.

 

 

ironically, one of the perfumes that i enjoy much (voodoo) has it in it, but the myrrh and other oils balances it out into something enjoyable. resmelling voodoo, i could smell a hint of it.

[jj_j]

Oh! Vetiver is one of my favorite scents, and has been for years. It's musty, it's earthy, and well ...it's rooty, if that makes sense. I absolutely love this one, and it smells exactly like some dried vetiver a friend gave me to burn several years ago.

 

I don't know why, but I associate this with money and breaking streaks of bad luck. If my friend weren't at work right now, I'd check with her, but I really think that was the set of circumstances that led her to bringing me the herb. Regardless, I've always enjoyed this absolutely-not-mainstream scent; probably because I associate it with a time in my life when I was showered with love.

 

Stout, different, and not for everyone, but this is the real thing.

Edited April 5, 2004 by jj_j

[allamanda]

phew, stout is the word jj_j!!

 

Very strong when wet. I can now identify the notes in some of the Lush products. At the moment this reminds me of bakelite lightbulb holders when they get hot.

 

Once dry this is not unpleasant. I wouldn't want to wear it alone, but as backing for other smells this would be good. Well, let's face it, it is... I love other vetiver containing perfumes like Voodoo.

[Reinaluna]

Vetiver is not a fragrance to wear streight!

 

As I was saying it is strong enough to kill a horse I once had a vial of it streight. It has to be mixed with another fragrance like violet for it to had a decent smell. I made the mistake of taking a whiff of it right from the vial and I about threw up.

[Lady_Ell]

Hmmm. I really like straight vetiver! It does have a strong smoky/woody thing going on when it's drying, which is different and I like it.

 

And then it dries to the most lovely sweet/smoke/wood blend - I can't describe it very well, but it's wonderful.

 

Why didn't I get more of this when I had the chance?

[shelldoo]

i also like straight vetiver, maybe not as an everyday scent but it is a deep, almost sinister, dark, earthy scent, it reminds me of deep deep forests, it is a very strong powerful scent

[UltraViolet]

BPAl blends which use vetiver as one of it's ingredients:

Alecto, Anathema, Azathoth, Black Annis, Blood Kiss, Blood Lust, Bluebeard, Czernobog, Damnation, Fallen, Highwaymen, Hurricane, Iago, Incantation, King of Spades, Kiweku Anansi, Lex Talionis, Malediction, Marquis De Merteuil, Nephilim, Saturnalia, Serpent's Kiss, Sloth, The Caterpillar, Torment, Tortue King, Typhon, Umbra, Voodoo.

In the bottle

Yep. It's Vetiver(t) In all it's green imagery. I always see green when I smell vetiver, overcooked pea greyish-green.

(Reminds me of why kids don't like the word "Yogurt".)

On

Oh man. Those who know me know I don't like Vetiver, but I had to try it so I could more easily identify it in blends, etc. Yeesh.

30 minutes

I never wanna hear I didn't take one for the team.

I must admit it does become better when it dries, smoother, not as pungent or piercing. It's almost frgrant...I suppose.

Throw:

more than average

Scent category:

Vetiver category.

Summary

The words do I have to come to mind.

It smells like rubber and green peas.

Okay, that wasn't so bad.

Purchase again?

Krikey.

1-5 rating (5 being best)

Do I love it? It's a 1. Is it a great Vetiver? It's a 5.

So to be fair I'll average and give it a 3.

Edited December 1, 2005 by UltraViolet

[olympia301]

 

Long known as "The castor oil of perfumery" I had to try Beth's single note. Had to. It's vetiver, alright.

 

Being about to use vetiver well is the hallmark of a great perfumer. Beth knows how to use this pungent plant to hold a scent without intruding on the delicate parts of a whole, or how to use it as an entire trumpet section when you want to say "Earth" but don't want to sound like you are burping.

 

Vetiver? What it is, man.

[Little Bird]

Vetiver has ruined a lot of blends for me... but it's also in a few blends that I really love, and lends a dark, earthy background to some of them. I like it if it lingers lightly in the background. By itself, oh Lord. This is strong and EARTHY.

 

It kind of reminds me of the smell of decaying leaves, roots, and soil... but with a more pungent bite. Woodsy, but insanely deep and dark. I only used the tiniest drop of this on one of my fingertips, and it's almost overpowering on me. It goes a bit powdery and sweeter on me after about a half hour, and I actually like it more then.

 

I could never wear this alone as a perfume. I'm not really sure what I would layer it with either, so I think I'll leave that up to Beth, lol. Vetiver singlenote is a frightening thing.